Your basement can serve a variety of purposes. It might be a home office, a storage space, a place for family recreation, or a rental apartment. And while many are below ground, they often still have windows, and windows require window treatments.
However, the dressing of basement windows brings unique challenges since they are usually small and oddly positioned.
So, what are the best window treatments for your basement? Let’s look at suitable options.
Choosing the Best Window Treatments for Your Basement
Basement windows provide unique challenges when it comes to finding the right treatments. Let’s look at the best choices.
1. Curtains
Using curtains made from thick and heavy fabrics is a great idea for basements that are damp, wet, and cold year-round. The material can prevent cold air from getting in and help create a warmer, cozier space. This reduces the need to turn up the furnace which saves you on utility bills.
These window treatments add to the room’s ambience but you need to think about their length. Since basements typically have small windows, you may think it’s better to choose small curtains. However, longer ones create the illusion that your basement is larger than it is by making the windows appear bigger than they are.
Alternatively, you can pair sheer curtains with blinds or shades for optimal privacy and light filtration. These window coverings allow soft sunlight to filter in to fill your space with a warm glow.
2. Woven Wood Blinds
If you want to add natural elements to your basement, woven wood blinds pair well with both modern and traditional styles. They come in many natural colours and designs, allowing you to create a look that blends with your current decor. They’re also easy to install, operate, and maintain. A weekly cleaning with a soft microfibre cloth is adequate.
3. Roller Shades
Roller shades offer sun protection and enhanced privacy. You can choose from a wide range of materials to ensure you have complete control over their light-filtering properties. Purchase light materials to allow diffused sunlight to illuminate the space or blackout varieties to make it dark for added privacy at night.
These window coverings can also be motorized, making them easy to control even when you’re not home. Just download the relevant app onto your smart device and pre-program when you want them to open and close. This eliminates the need to operate each of the coverings manually.
4. Plantation Shutters
Plantation shutters are durable window treatments that are flexible enough to work well in all kinds of basements. They also offer privacy and light control. Additionally, they’re easy to install and maintain as all they need is a little dusting. They are affixed to the window frame and can be operated with a single lever. This is used to both open and close slats that can also be angled to allow in light and air in without compromising on your privacy.
Purchasing plantation shutters that are larger than your window also creates the illusion of a larger space.
5. Roller Shades
Offering natural light and an interesting appearance, roller shades combine the beauty of unique design and easy operation. They can be purchased in blackout fabrics and room-darkening varieties with motorized control. This makes them a safer window treatment option for homes with pets and children as there are no cords to pose a strangulation hazard.
6. Vertical Fabric Blinds
If you’re lucky enough to have big basement windows, use fabric vertical blinds to create a pleasant ambience and keep out unwanted cold and heat.
Semi-privacy blinds and total privacy ones can also be opened fully or closed.
Combining Window Treatments
If one window treatment doesn’t address your needs, you can easily combine them for the best results.
For instance, pair sheer curtains with plantation shutters to enjoy the advantages of both. You can also use roller shades with curtains to efficiently block outside light and heat. If your basement has a TV, blackout coverings will reduce glare and create a theatre-like feel.
As you can see, there are many choices when it comes to dressing your basement window treatments.
Basements are versatile rooms so it’s sensible to invest in a window treatment that increases its practicality and efficiency. And by adding the right one (or ones), you’ll be one step closer to having a basement that can be used for multiple purposes. That means taking the time to choose the right basement window treatments as the wrong options/combinations will do the opposite of what you’re looking to achieve.
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